


The Owl Family

by nicaaa_chuuu



Series: Haikyuu! Family AU [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Black Jackals, Domestic Fluff, Family, M/M, MSBY, One Big Happy Family, Pro Volleyball Player Bokuto Koutarou, owls in love, reference to chapter 392
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24220339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicaaa_chuuu/pseuds/nicaaa_chuuu
Summary: Akaashi Keiji and his little owls.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji & Bokuto Koutarou, Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Series: Haikyuu! Family AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1748182
Comments: 4
Kudos: 119





	The Owl Family

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you'd like it!

_Spring National Tournament (FINALS), Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium— 2020._

Akaashi stood on the audience, though not ounce of him being nervous was visible on his perfectly calm face— the fingers of his right hand started fidgeting with eyes intent on the player standing on the court.

It’s the 5th set of the match but the 15-points set rallied until both teams have 30 points each. It’s the first long final match he had seen over the years and though the former setter was standing on the very top, he can easily tell of the exhaustion looming over a certain player.

“It’s hard to watch this..” whisper the person standing beside him.

Akaashi nodded silently.

The person went still in the middle of a run. It’s more likely their legs was about to give up from the constricting soreness of muscles Akaashi was well aware of— inducing a one-second stop of Akaashi’s heart.

 _“It’s a block o—no, Bokuto dug it back in the air!”_ announced the commentator and excited cheers erupted.

It was more than Akaashi could take not to join the audience, his hand now gripping the railing, after all, Bokuto Akiyoru stood up from where she instantly kneeled to receive the ball with her forearms.

“Did you see that Akaashi? Did you see that!” Bokuto Koutaro, the person beside him, excitedly cheered whilst pointing to Akiyoru. “Did you see that? She’s awesome!”

“Yes, Bokuto-san.” He smiled to the latter. “Still for a moment, the game isn’t finished yet.”

“Oh, right!”

The ball was back on the Fukurodani’s girl team. Their libero dug it after a one-touch block but it was low and short. Two predicaments at once. The difficulty of the pass held Akaashi’s breath plus the pressure of the game, he had sworn a negative thought crossed his mind.

 _“A crucial pass for both teams!”_ the commentator, again.

Akaashi bit his lower lip but then it fell with his widened eyes after just a nanosecond when Akiyoru lowered herself. He threaded between annoyance for her recklessness or awed for the Fukorodani girls team’s setter and her game sense. Akiyoru stretched a leg out and bent the other, using her ten fingers she made a wide-arch toss to the player sporting a number 4 jersey behind her. Even from an awkward position it was an on-point set, Akaashi could tell, left everyone flabbergasted.

“W-wha...” the usual energetic owl murmured, unable to finish his sentence, proving his last point.

 _“A—A difficult position but Bokuto made a spectacular toss to their ace!”_ then the eagerness erupted. _“Ichibayashi slammed it down!”_

Akaashi knew exactly when his heart broke apart.

A whistle was blown, the supporters of Ichibayashi erupted in a deafening cheer as the point was added to their team’s score, giving them the advantage of a match point. One more and it’ll be over in an instance. He watched from the wide screen how Akiyoru dropped herself on the court, breathing heavily, with elbows propped on her knees and head lowered; it heightened Akaashi’s worry that it’s possible she’s reeling with negative thoughts herself.

“And it was a good toss, too.” Commented the Black Jackal’s setter who’s standing on Bokuto’s other side.

Hinata Shouyou agreed with a nod of his orange-haired head, arms crossed on his chest. “The exhaustion, the pressure of a match point— it’s too much.”

Their former school signalled a time-out. A teammate offered a hand and pulled Yoru from floor. She traipsed toward the bench where she settled next to their libero.

Akaashi and Bokuto looked at each other, worry mirroring in their eyes. They know what it meant for Yoru to throw her head back, draping a towel over her eyes and clasping her fingers together.

It was as the same as when Bokuto Koutaro used to hide under the table after a defeated game. His thoughts running wild, blaming himself over and over while falling down the abyss of self-deprecation. A cynical, never-ending loop of _It’s my fault_ enveloping him until Akaashi figured out how to pull him out of it during his second-year in high school. A three squeeze of his hand: _I’m always here._

But with Bokuto Akiyoru, no one have figured it out yet.

“What should we do?” asked the other Bokuto but Akaashi has nothing to say aside from his usual answer.

“Nothing,” because it was always like that.

As cold as it may sound but no one can pull Yoru from her episode beside herself— a sense of strength that perhaps she had gotten from Akaashi, Bokuto always pointed out. Surprise made her teammates’ head turn her way as she marched to the middle of the court. Her eyes surveyed the audience, the long tail of her black and greyish-silver hair swishing attuned to the movement of her head.

“BO-KU-TO KOU-TA-RO!” she shouted, drawling the syllables of owlish man’s name.

“What the hell?”

Akaashi smiled a little. Bokuto’s eyes widened as big as an owl’s and panic made him grasped Akaashi’s arm.

“How did she know I’m here?” he lowered himself on the ground in attempt to hide, though Yoru wouldn’t really know because they’re literally on the very top.

“I know you’re here! Where are you?” murmurs with the audience started but Yoru doesn’t seem to mind and continued to shout.

“How?!” whispered-shouted by the man in question to himself. Miya Atsumu and Hinata Shouyou peered at him on the floor.

“Bokuto-san?” queried Hinata with an inch of his head towards the left.

“Well...” Bokuto drawled. “She didn’t want me to come— but! I made sure she doesn’t know I came. I don’t know how she knew I’m here!” and bit his lower lip, probably deciding on whether to face his sister’s wrath or runaway.

How even? Akaashi’s eyes softened with fondness for his lover.

 _You are her brother, Koutaro._ Akaashi’s internal answer came from the years watching over the Bokuto children.

He was there for Koutaro as his setter back in high school, as his best friend even after they went to different universities and his partner for years.

Akaashi was there for Yoru the moment she can finally hold a ball with one hand, her first game in middle school and Akaashi cheered her up with a mug of hot chocolate after being rejected by her crush.

Oh, Akaashi was the one who stopped Koutaro from marching to that boy’s house to land a punch for breaking his sister’s heart. To make it simple, Akaashi earned the title of “Owls keeper” fair and square granted to him by none other the man crouching on the floor.

“ONII-CHAN!” Yoru’s voice issued curious on-lookers from the audience. The commentators were also confused and can be heard from their murmurings caught by the mics they were using.

_“Bokuto of Black Jackals is here?_

_“I nearly forgot that Bokuto of Fukorodani is his little sister.”_

_“Where is he?”_

_“It seems he’s hiding.”_

He is hiding but not from the attention an MSBY player would garner. He relish on that. Yoru didn’t want Koutaro nor Keiji to watch. The reason? Both men didn’t know but the specificity of Akiyoru telling them not to come but they still did and her possible anger was enough for the outside hitter to decide crawling under a cave.

“Bokkun, she’s looking this way.” Atsumu said, looking down at the court. “Yer ass is in a big trouble,” then he laughed.

“Akaaaaaashi!”

Akaashi sighed from his lover’s whining. He slowly reached down, propping a hand on his knee and placed the other on Bokuto’s arm, giving it a little pat as if empathizing with a toddler.

“We reap what we sow,” he calmly stated.

It wasn’t the answer the owlish man wanted.

“Do we have to?” Bokuto gave him the big eyes, an attempt to persuade Akaashi to crawl their way out of this and possible a way out of her wrath.

But, “Yes."

Bokuto shoulders slumped in dejection, earning a delighted laugh from his current setter but Hinata hushed him with an addition of hitting his arm to which an instant made Atsumu zipped his lips.

“KOU-TA—”

Bokuto finally heaved a deep breath and stood up.

“I’M HERE!” he declared with the same level of volume as his little sister.

True enough from Atsumu’s words, when Akaashi directed his eyes back on the court, Yoru was staring straight at their direction. The two stood side to side anticipating her words and her numerous rants but when she opened her mouth, the questions that flew out made Akaashi blinked his eyes profusely.

“Nii-chan! Who am I? Are you my brother?” she put her hands beside her mouth. “YOU’RE MY BROTHER, RIGHT?”

“H-huh... Ahh...” even Bokuto was lost for words. “Y-yeah.. Y-YEAH! YOU’RE MY SISTER!”

“YEAH! THAT’S RIGHT!” the way Yoru nodded her mind it was as if she finally agreed on something she had concluded. “I’M YOUR SISTER! Okay.. OKAY! Thank you!”

After a final wave of her hands, she re-joined her team. The peculiarity of that exchange left a spell of wondering to those who witness it. The audience was quiet but Yoru was oblivious of it. She continued to discuss something with her teammates despite of their shock.

“What just happened?”

“She’s not mad?” Bokuto blinked. “W-what was that?”

Akaashi chuckled beside himself. What indeed but the answer came forward with a score granted on a team.

_“Kuroshima raised the ball. It was short! Bokuto... what’s this? Bokuto approached for a spike!”_

His gunmetal green eyes took it all in. A triple block readied themselves to block out her setter dump— spike, but whilst in mid-air, Yoru turned her back on them and nostalgia hit Akaashi Keiji. Everyone gasped. Bokuto bounced on his feet with Hinata and the ball falling on Ichibayashi’s side of the court.

_“An inverted shoot from Bokuto Akiyoru!”_

It was the same move that first gained MSBY a score on their match with the Adlers 5 years ago. Now, it’s her team.

She can and she will do it because Bokuto Akiyoru was Bokuto Koutaro’s sister.

“Did you teach her that, Bokkun?”

Bokuto shook his head. The beanie that covered most of his salt-and-pepper hair fell off and Akaashi’s quick reflex caught it. “No— but hey! Hey! That’s my little sister!” then he counted a quick two seconds before, “BOKUTO BEEEEAM!” with two gun fingers pointing down at her.

Hinata joined him at it. “BOKUTO BEAM!”

The outside hitter looked at his teammate. “Let’s do it together— Tsum-Tsum do it, too!” Atsumu grumbled but Bokuto ignored him. “One, two— BOKUTO BEEEEEEEEEEAM!” and the three made finger guns towards the little owl on the court.

Yoru, surrounded by her teammates, answered with gun fingers of her own and directed it at them. The wideness of her grin made her close her left eye in a wink and shouted, “HEY HEY HEY!!"

The two owls shared a laugh and Akaashi gripped the beanie over his chest. Fondness for them swelled his heart, fingers itching to run his hand through Koutaro’s, now visible and messy, spiky hair.

*** * ***

Back on the game, the deuce rotated Yoru to serve. She made friends with the ceiling for her first serve. Yoru sent the ball hurtling up with an underhand serve, something that Akaashi had never seen her do before. The bright lights blinded their opponent for a moment until the blue white and yellow Mikasa ball fell on a no-touch ace.

 _“Match point for Fukurodani!”_

The Fukurodani girls team shouted with their setter. They bounced off their feet and when someone pointed at the ball, Yoru laughed and did a shake of her head.

“She attempted a ceiling serve for the first time in a middle of the match.” Bokuto laughed beside Akaashi. “Akaashi, she’s growing up!”

The black-haired man pushed his glasses up.

“She reminds me of someone,” and his chuckle triggered a wide smile on Bokuto’s lips.

“Wait, wait— what?” Atsumu, ever the asshole, interjected between the two. He pantomimed a hand towards the little owl. “What did’cha mean for the first time? Yer saying she’s tried out in a deuce?!”

Bokuto puffed his chest out. The pride for his little sister resembled the pride of a father for his daughter. “She probably can’t jump anymore but Yoru doesn’t do normal serves and thought to just do something impossible!”

“She did stop running from the match point... but she still jumped for the deuce.” Hinata turned to his mentor with eyes wide in fascination. “Your sister is amazing!”

“Right? Right?” he proudly beamed.

“That ain’t something to be proud of!” Atsumu lobbed the outside hitter in the back of the head. “That was reckless.”

Bokuto scratched his head and was about to retort but he swallowed them back as Yoru was given another ball to serve.

“Yoru, just one more!” he cheered.

The crowd followed suit and started clapping and chanting _Bokuto! Bokuto! Bokuto!_ but Akaashi caught the shake of her head, a tell-tale she disliked the noise. Of course, Bokuto caught on it too.

He pointed at Yoru who’s spinning the ball on her hand and mouthed, “Yours.”

Because Akaashi too disliked the noise when he’s about to serve. It wasn’t as bad as Atsumu’s but if it’s possible, Akaashi wanted the concentration carried by the silence.

His former setter granted him a soft smile. “Mine?”

Yoru threw the ball and made a few steps before jumping. Her legs might’ve given out but that won’t stop her from reaching the ball. With body suspended in the air, arm pulled back until her palm connected with the Mikasa ball and sent it flying towards the other side.

Akaashi knew when his heart was full.

People were suddenly jumping from their seat and Fukurodani’s cheering team broke in a celebratory dance. Akaashi shared a smile with Bokuto as they both looked down to Yoru being tackled by her team. The younger Bokuto was laughing with tears streaming down her cheeks as the audience erupted for their win.

_“Spring National Tournament Girls’ Volleyball, winner: Fukurodani Gakuen!”_

Akaashi reached for Bokuto’s hand and the black-haired man entwined their fingers. “Ours.”

*** * ***

“Bokuto-san.”

Bokuto and Akaashi were waiting for Yoru at the lobby. The awarding ceremony just ended and the two may or may not have shredded tears whilst watching their little owl receive the awards _Best Setter of the Year_ and _Best Server of the Year_ but when Yoru turned to them on the crowd, lifting her awards with a proud grin, Bokuto shamelessly broke-down on Akaashi’s shoulder; Atsumu took pleasure of taking a video of and posting it on his Twitter.

**the best Miya @atsumuofficial** **·** **2 min**

He’s proud of his little sister he turned into a whale-ing owl. Get it? Whale? Owl? Because they’re both animals lol.

_[Video: Bokuto Koutaro’s lips trembling, perhaps stopping himself from crying out loud but failed as a sob escaped his lips and hurriedly buried his face on Akaashi’s shoulder and continued sobbing]_

267 comments | 378 retweets | 179 likes | share

Akaashi still cringes from that tweet but indeed, the evidence of that wailing was still visible from Bokuto’s little sniffles as both men turned to face the person who called him. “Y-yes?”

She smiled. They recognized the girl as the captain of the Fukurodani’s girls team. “Can you come with me?”

Her demeanour isn’t worried so there’s no need to worry too about something happened to Akiyoru but Akaashi noted his steps were still a bit hurried to reach the room appointed for their team. Behind him was a trailing Bokuto making an animated conversation with the girls’ captain and congratulating them.

“It was because Yoru was really good.” She said shyly. “I really thought it’ll be impossible to win.”

“Your team won because everyone gave their best and it was just hard, wasn’t it? Just hard not impossible.”

Akaashi hid his smile and knocked on the door. He was greeted by the head of Fukurodani’s girls team.

“I’m sorry for calling you over but...” and she pointed at the corner of the room.

The room was cleaned of things and freed from other players aside for one. There, on the floor, was Bokuto’s little sister. Akaashi bowed his head before stepping passed the head coach and towards Akiyoru.

He knelt beside her.

Soft snores found their way on Akaashi’s hearing that tickled a chuckle to his heart. She’s lying on her side; her head was propped on her arm whilst hugging a snowy owl. The stuffed toy was gifted to her from Akaashi, 3 years ago on her birthday, but the black and white volleyball jersey with a number 5 covering its body was personally sewed with clumsy fingers, Koutaro sported bandages for over two weeks.

“She fell asleep?” Koutaro joined him on the floor.

Akaashi nodded and ran a hand through the beachy waves of her hair. Yoru loved her brother so much; one day she asked Akaashi to help dye her ebony hair with greyish-silver highlights much like his.

“Help me put her on my back, Keiji.”

Yoru settled on Koutaro’s back, arms around her brother’s neck and cheek resting on his shoulder. It’s a small gratitude that she already wore her track jacket that they didn’t need to wake her up. As much as possible, Keiji wanted to wake Yoru when they’re back home.

He hitched her bag on his shoulder with the stuffed owl in his arm. Akaashi went to inform their coach before taking Yoru with them. At the entrance, they met with Atsumu and Hinata. The latter handed a bag of Onigiri’ Miya’s rice balls.

“Osamu-san added extra umeboshi and chicken teriyaki rice balls for her,” Hinata said.

Akaashi accepted. “Thank you.”

The Black Jackals player talked for a bit regarding practice for next week until the two excused themselves to finally go back to their dorm. At the parking lot, Yoru gruntled on Koutaro’s back.

“Nii-chan?” she rubbed her left-eye with one hand and another on Bokuto’s shoulder.

He stopped walking as to not drop her and Akaashi settled next to them. “Yoru?”

“Kaashi,” she relented him a sleepy smile. “Nii-chan,” and settled herself on his back again.

“You can sleep more, Yoru. We’ll wake you later at home,” whispered Koutaro and he rubbed his cheek on her hair.

“Mm-hmm...” golden eyes on Akaashi. “Did I make you proud?”

That one question tugged his heartstrings. One beat then two then Akaashi knew he’s full and loved and the setting sun with its orange and red hues painted by a lovelorn artist couldn’t compare with how beautiful this moment is for him. He inhaled a deep breath and Akaashi touched his forehead on her cheek, his lips brushing Koutaro’s shoulder.

“Always, little owl.” They said in unison.

*** * ***

_Akaashi Keiji’s apartment, Akihabara — 2020_

The day concluded in a little celebration with the owls. After waking Yoru, Akaashi pushed her for a bath whilst he prepared their dinner and Bokuto out to buy a cake. It was a simple, laughter-filled dinner that ended with the two owls contesting who can make service aces most.

“It shall happen over the subsequent days!” Yoru declared putting on her theatrical voice and a flare of her hand over the table.

Koutaro mimed her dramatics and Akaashi left them at it while he took care of washing up the plates.

Afterwards, they’ve put a movie on. They’re settled on the floor because none would give up their position close to Keiji so the only calm person out of the three, decided to spread a blanket after moving the sofa backwards and threw the pillows around them.

Keiji settled in front of Koutaro, entrapped in between his legs while Yoru was lying down on her side with her head on a pillow that’s resting on Keiji’s thighs. They resumed the anime they were watching on Netflix, finally giving Keiji his peace from their bickering.

Half-way the episode, Keiji felt the steady rhythm of Akiyoru’s breath. He tugged Koutaro’s shirt who stood up with a yawn and carried his sister to her room while Keiji made a grab of the blanket and followed suit. He decided to leave the mess for tomorrow clean-up.

Each gave forehead kisses to the sleeping owl.

Back on their own room, Keiji waited for Koutaro back from the toilet. He settled the book he was supposed to read back on their nightstand and dimmed the lights hovering above their headboard. His lover emerged with his hair down, long strand obscuring his forehead.

“Yoru’s getting heavier.” He grumbled, climbing their bed.

Akaashi’s gunmetal eyes followed Koutaro’s movement. His hand reached for the back of his shirt, pulling it off his head and the flex of his biceps made a touch of Akaashi’s tongue wet his lips.

Koutaro flung the said shirt over Keiji’s swivel chair.

“Don’t tell her that. She will kill you.” He softly said and opened his arms.

The golden-eyed man settled on his chest. Akaashi weaved his fingers through Koutaro’s strands, finally succumbing to that certain urge he’d been exhilarating himself with over the day. They’re as soft as Yoru’s, falling through the gaps of his fingers from his every brush and the scent of green apple wafted to reach Keiji’s.

“Kou?” Koutaro hummed his answer. Keiji slid his finger to his back where he drew little circles on his skin. “Thank you for giving me a family.”

He felt Koutaro’s chest rose for inhaling a deep breath. The arms he has around Keiji tightened. “Thank you for being our family.”

It was a silent moment after that. The moon put its lips together, the stars mellowed their singing and the brush of the night air lulled its swaying. It was a silent moment for the two lost souls finally finding their light. It was that moment the two thanked to whomever who’s at work for letting them meet and finally giving a silenced soul that belonged to a little owl the voice to speak, to laugh.

Akaashi heard the story for the first time when he met Akiyoru for the first time.

A broken family shattered her voice. Koutaro, who’s at that time, was only about to graduate middle school and he didn’t know what to do with his sister after their parents’ divorce. She wouldn’t talk nor smile. Koutaro kept his energetic façade despite fighting his own demons through the years in hope she will give out just a tiny curve of her lips. Nothing came out until Akaashi came into the picture.

He was the Bokutos’ God-given solace. He came in with an angel’s smile and tethered Koutaro from falling deeper down his own-made hellhole. The lull of his voice and his words _‘It’s fine now, Akiyoru. You can cry.’_ finally— finally, made Yoru cry for the first time. She cried the tears she kept because she didn’t want to burden her brother. She burst out the thoughts almost mirroring Koutaro’s when they left her with their grandparents. No one wanted her, she thought. No one would care for her, she pointed out to herself and yet Akaashi loved her.

*** * ***

“I thought I carried this girl to her room?” the grogginess of Bokuto’s voice was a gratitude for just waking up. He and Akaashi were peering down on Akiyoru, who somehow found her way back on the living room.

It was still a mess with pillows strewn all over the floor. Akaashi made a move to clean but was stopped with a blurry movement from the sofa until he registered Yoru was clinging onto him. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she hovered over the sofa's back rest.

“I woke up early and was reading but I fell asleep,” she shrugged her shoulder towards her brother and smiled cheerily towards Akaashi. “Good morning, Kaashi!”

His lips softened in a smile. “Why are you up early?”

“I’m excited for today—"she cut herself off to glare at her brother who’s standing behind Akaashi. “—wait, why are you taking my arms off Kaashi, nii-chan?”

“You’re hugging Keiji too tight, Yoru,” grumbled the older Bokuto and tried to free Akaashi from her hug once again. “Let go.”

“What? No! Kaashi loves my hug? The most!” the younger Bokuto then beamed at Akaashi. “Right?” her energy in the morning was almost as bright as Hinata’s hair and the man trapped in her arms had nothing to do but to nod.

“Akaashi!” but that of course triggered a whining from his lover. “You love my hugs most!”

“Ha! Take that Nii-chan. He loves my hugs most because he loves me most!”

Bokuto gasped too dramatic for Keiji’s liking first thing in the morning.

“He loves me most!” and he wrapped an arm around Keiji’s waist, pulling him back to him.

“Uh... Noooo.” Yoru stuck her tongue out and leaned even more, Keiji was absolute he’s carrying her weight on him. “I’m the most adorable here so no doubt that Kaashi loves me most!”

If it’s one of those day he hadn’t had a proper sleep and the two greeted him with this bickering, he would’ve fed them with cereals drowned in water instead of milk. But the childish tantrums between an MSBY Black Jackals player and a second-year high school setter national level player is an easy feat to conquer after a good night sleep.

Akaashi Keiji hugged Yoru’s waist with one arm and with the other, he reached back to cupped Koutaro’s cheek and he brought them closer to him. Leaning on their warmth, he whispered. “I love you two most.”

The Bokuto children were silent until they shared a heart-warming laugh and Akaashi offered his thanks. Thanks to destiny or the heavens or to whomever who’s at work that they brought Keiji to them, because finally, Keiji has a home.


End file.
